50,000 Don’t Learn Core Subjects

The number of Israeli children who do not learn core curriculum subjects such as math and English has grown by 40% in the past decade to a total of 50,000, Maariv reports. Most live in hareidi-religious communities.

Many hareidi schools are considered “recognized non-state institutions” which teach at least 75% of the core curriculum and receive 75% or more of the funding given to state schools. However, there are also schools which receive 55-60% funding but do not teach core curriculum subjects at all, preferring to teach only Torah.